Method of and apparatus for handling fire hose



Sept. 29, 1931. w. H. roam 1,825,488

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR HANDLING FIRE HOSE Filed April 5. 1929 11111111111, 'IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII; IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII"llll'flll' 4 I,IIIIIIIIIIIIII'IIIIIIIIII'IIIoI Z the floor.

Patented Sept. 29, 1931 WILLIAM atoms, on .n osron, MASSACHUSETTS Marion or arm errnnetrus non HANDLING Finn HOSE Application filed April 5,1929. Serial No. 352,867.

This invention relates to methods and apparatus for handling'fire hose and for loading it into a hose truck andinto a hose tower.

Fire hose is usually made in short lengths,

'as fifty feet, with the ends provided with male and female coupling members, respectively, so thatany'number of lengths canbe" coupled together. A fire station-usually has two sets of hose.

readiness to departon a fire call. In the truck the lengths ofhose are connectedtogether and are arranged in loop form r so that the hose can be pulled out of the truck without trouble. The other or spare set of ness to be loaded into the truck.

After a hose truck returns from a fire, the used and wet hose, which then is in separate rolls with the male coupling membersinnermost, is pulled out of the truck ontothe floor of the station and the rolls are lnwound and the lengths are hung up in the hose tower to dry, and, when dry, are rolled up with the female ends innermost. When the truck is emptied of'hose, it is-immediately reloaded with the dry spare set of hose sothat the truck can go out again immediately, if a second call should come in. The usual man ner of reloading the truck is to throw. the

spare rolls of hose onto the floor of'the fire station and to unwind the rolls on the floor and to draw the hose into the truck from The floor'of the station has become wet because of the water deposited thereon by the used hose and also because of water drained onto the floor from other apparatus so that the dry hose in the spare rolls becomes wet by being unwound on the floor. Chemical tanks usually also have to be recharged and sulphuric acid in inevitably spilled. onto'the floor and thus comes in contact with the hose.

remains in the truck in wet condition. Fire hose is expensive and is subject to rapidfde:

One set is contained -in=the hose truck so that the truck is in instant without being unintentionally pulled ofi'the While the truck must be immediately reloaded" with hose'in' prep aration for an immediate call for service, it

cay since it will soon rot if moisture andacid is allowed to remain on and in the fibrous covering. Consequently, it is highly i desirable to keep the hose dry at all times except when it is in actual service.

Therefore, itis an object of the present invention to provide a method of handling hose whereby the dry rolls of hose in the statlon can be unwound and laid into the hose truck without coming in contactwith the wetfloor ofthe station. I 1

imposed order in such manner that the rolls 66' hose 18111 separate lengths arranged in rolls" whichare kept in the station house in readican be unwound successively and laid into the hose truck without the hose'comingf in V COHtELCt Wlth the. wet stationfioor and also turntable. A further object of the invention is generally to improve methods and apparatus for handling firehose which reduces the number of men that are necessary to unload and re-' load the truck, so that men can be released for other services necessary to restore the apparatus rapidly in condition to respond to another call.

It is usual practice to leave the unloaded wet hose in rolls until the dry hose is loaded so into the truck. The wet hose of the rolls is then drawn up into the tower to drain and dry. This is usually done by hooking a hoisting cable to the outer end of a roll of hose when it is on the floorand then elevatinto the truck. The turntable rotates as the hose is drawn into the tower and so the hose is causedto be withdrawn and to hang in the tower free from twists and kinks. This constitutes a further object of the invention.

'llis a side elevation, partly in section,

of a turntable used in connection with the holds the ends from unwindin The inner invention. coupling member 12 of the lowermost roll Fig. 2 is a plan view of the turntable of rests upon the upstanding conical member n Fig. 1. so that it is held in an elevated position at Fig. 3 is a side elevation, partly in section, least partly above the top of the roll. The

showing the manner in which the rolls of hose sloping side Wall 46 of said member also onare supported in a vertical-.pile on: the: turn-: gagesther innermost convolutionsltm ot' the table and are.unWound and ..laida.into-.the. lowermost ,roll and filSOJl'iLlSGS. bhGll'PflbOVO body of the hose truck. the top surface of the body of the roll. The

The spare set of hose in the station house projecting member d4 thus enters the roll V5 is contained in separate-rolls 1O,--each-rollandholds -it-againstlateral displacement as containing a certain length, asl'ifty feet, of the turntable is rotated. \Vhen the next hose. One end of each lengthof hose is 'proupper rollis placed upon'the bottom roll vided with a female coupling member 12 and, the elevated inner. coupling member and the 15 the other end with a male coupling member elevated inner convolutions of the lowermost 80 14h; Thelength of hose in each spare. roll ismrolilservetoraiseupwardly thecorresponding woundiup. :with usually the: femalehcoupling-i; coupling;membereandMcoirvolutionsi of the member innermost and the malexcoupling... nextuupper. roll Thus,,-.all the rolls of the member LOLltClIll'lQSt,ZlS illustrated in Fig.1. stack become.interlocked; lone with another,

12. In accordance .with this invention, a turn-, so itllflt they. .will iiota'eadily move sidewise tableiisiprovided to support theirolls'of hose as the. turntable and rollsare rotated and above and out of contact with the Wet-station. hose is; withdrawn from-the iIOllSr; fiooravhiie: thetlrolls'are beingnnwoundandz: Afterxtheqvet hose has been removed from thezhoselaidinto theibodyvof theltruckn .Then the. hose .trucknLS :onto the floor ofthe staeturnta'ble 1illustrated particularly ,in Figsr: tion, and has. beena'emoved, the hose onthe 1 and 2, includes a base 16 hawing,supportin turntable is. then'uirwoundiand.laid in the legs l8 and a verticalshai t' QOnvhich; isilixed truck rlniaccomplishing itl1lS.tl18l.OlltCL' end tothe base. The iturntable iDQl-Hd6Sna1l1u'l3u of theitop l'OlLTdJ-fzllOSGllS .engaged'and pulled 22 which lhasia vertical recessfl l therei-ndn 1 toward the tnuelri 'llleiturntahle. rotates to r=zwhich the shaftQO isreeeivedh Piflballbear-uv permittthis.mowementi The hose as laid in 5. ing26 is. locatedbetweenuthe.upperzendofl thetnuck in loop-formuuntilthe first length theishaft.QOandtheibottom,of theirecessand of hosehasdaeen passedinto the trucln The providesu-otatablesupportingoneans:fo'rithe:1 inner end, orutheafemale coupling member hula. A SetISCIGYt28:lSLCZ1lFl'lBCl'byatlllihllbl" ofithe first len-gtlrof hose,- is:then coupled and extends into an annular groovei-30' in. to theiouter oiwn'iale' coupling. member ofthe 10o saidishadtnvhereby to; connect the-shafti'and nextdowenrolhort' hose,;whi ;h is nowthetop hub-against accidentaldisplacement: Suitrollpand .the. action dsurepeated until all tofu able lubrivating meansas; a grease cup. is I therollsihavebeen;unwound and .thelengthsi provided to lubricate;ithenbearing:;between =thereoficouplethtogether and, laid ,into the the-hub andtheshaft; The l1'llb l-S1pl"OVlded% truek..-. By usingthisimethod, and the turnatrits upper end with a radially.outstanding:1 table;;i.t.willibe seen. that-ltheidry' hose can be flange 86 upon ,Wl1lCl1':t circular table, 38-ais. laidiintothetrnelmvithout coming in contact received and secured by bolts 40 which-pass with theuwetafloor of thezstation-.: Fewer men throughsaid table; and through saidfla'nge are requiredto lload thetruckaiastthose here- 45. '86. r 'The tablen88'zis isullieiently large iDnCli-y tOfOI'EfllllillZCdailO. unroll'the hose .on the loci- 11g ameterto :receive and. support a roll ofihose and ta'ke theakiniksrand lobpsioutrof it, are an dipreferably, although not necessarily,,is: nowi unnecessary and can obewreleased for ofa laminateddvoodconstruction, asishowlnx ,othennecessary duties. and has a metalhandcr .tire lQa whiehdenw T heimannerof utilizing...the:turntable for 507-.circles-and reinforces its periphery. A-gen-."hoisting1therwetilioserinto the. tower for erally; conically-shaped projecting nember draining and ;dryi1rg.. can lbe a'eadily under-r let. iscarried by'and upstands above the 1113- P sto'odwithont th'enneedufor speeific explanar perqfaceof said table 38in the middle there-t tionri. oi and has a downwardly and. outwardly I claim:

s1oping side wall 46 and an outstanding; 1.LThei. methodi ofwtransferrinmiirehose.1 flange l5 atthe. bottom through which the fromuseparate rollsof hQseintoxthe body of bolts; &0. are passed, whereby to clampsaid a fire truck wherein.theuhoscis differently member and table to said hub; i V v arrangedmandi.tliewlengthsxare connected .to-

The method ofusmg the turntableiis subget-her 'bYIthQJlSGEOf fi rotatable horizontal 60" stantially. as follows: support,;theconvolut1onswotv each 'roll being The rolls 10 of hose are placed oneon top in i a :connnonc plane withrone convolution of the other in a vertical pile on theturn-' against and .in icontactrwith the .next adjatable with the OHtGY'GHtlOf each length of"cent convolution-andwith oneiend innermost hose thrown over thc'roll; as shown in F ig'. 3, 1 and the other end outermost;which method "*so that-the weight ofth'e superimposed rolls consistsvin stacking themseparate rolls of 130.

ing the stack and moving the hose into the body of the truck, connecting the free end of the length of hose in the truck with the outer end of the hose of next lowermost roll in the stack and continuing as aforesaid until all of the hose on the support has been moved into the truck.

2. The method of transferring fire hose from separate rolls of hose into the body of a fire truck wherein the hose is differently arranged and the lengths thereof are connected together by theuse of a rotatable horizontal support, the convolutions of each roll being in a common plane with one conv0lution against and in contact with the next adjacent convolution and with one end innermost and the other end outermost, which method consists in arranging the separate rolls of hose horizontally in superimposed order in a vertical stack on the rotatable support, interlocking the convolutions of one roll with the next roll by raising the innermost convolutions of a roll partly above the general horizontal plane of the top face of the roll and consequently forming a depression in the lower face of the roll into which the raised convolutions of the next lower roll nest, and withdrawing hose from the successive uppermost rolls by rotating said support.

3. Themethod oftransferringfirehosefrom separate rolls of hose into the body of a fire truck wherein the hose is diiferently arranged and the lengths thereof are connected together the convolutions of each roll being in a common plane with one convolution against and in contact with the next adjacent convolutions and with one end innermost and the other end outermost, which method consists in arranging the spare rolls of hose horizontally in superimposed order in a vertical stack, and withdrawing hose from the successive uppermost rolls by rotating the stack of hose.

4. The method of transferring fire hose from separate rolls of hose into the body of a fire truck wherein the hose is differently arranged and the lengths thereof are connected together by the use of a rotatable horizontal support, the convolutions of each roll being in a common plane with one convolution against and in contact with the next adjacent convolution and with one end innermost and the other end outermost, the rotatable support having an upstanding projection in the axis thereof that is shorter than the thickness of a roll, which method consists in placing a roll of hose axially upon said support and over said projection whereby the inner convolutions of said roll are raised above the top of the roll by said projection, placing other rolls in superimposed order on top of said first roll, whereby the elevated convolutions of the lower rolls raise the innersconvolutions of the upper rolls and lock the rolls together againstlateral displacement, and withdrawing hose from the successive uppermost rolls by pulling upon the outer end of hose of the successive rolls, whereby to cause said support to rotate and the rolls to unwind in succession.

5. The method of unwinding rolls of hose by the use of a horizontal turntable having an upstanding projection at the middle thereoftheconvolutions of each roll'being in a common plane, with one convolution against and in contactwith the next adjacent convolution and with one end innermost and the other end outermost, which method consists inplacing a rollof hose upon said turntable and over said projection so that said projection enters the middle of said roll andholds said roll against lateral displacement on the turntable, and withdrawing hose from the roll by pulling upon the outer end of'hose, whereby to rotate the hose and the turntable and to cause the roll to unwind.

6. Apparatus for supporting and unwinding rolls of fire hose that are tightly wound upon one end of thereof including a base, a horizontal turntable rotatably supported by said base and adapted to support a roll of fire hose, said table having a projection which upstands above the middle thereof and is adapted to enter the middle of the roll of hose and raise the innermost convolutions and hold the roll on the turntable against lateral displacement, the height of the projection being such that the raised convolutions of the hose are retained in overlapping and engaging relation. r

7. Apparatus forsupporting and unwinding roll-s of fire hose that are tightly wound upon one end thereof including a base, a horizontal turntable rotatably supported by said base and adapted to support a roll of fire hose, said table having a projection which upstands above the middle thereof and is adapted to enter the middle of the roll of hose and hold it on the turntable against lateral displacement, said upstanding projection being of generally conical configuration and having sloping side walls which engage and elevate and support the innermost convolutions of the roll of hose, the height of the projection being such that the raised convolutions of the hose are retained in overlapping and engaging relation.

8. Apparatus for supporting and unwinding rolls of fire hose that are tightly wound upon one end thereof including a supporting base havinv a vertically upstanding shaft, a hub rotata le on said shaft having at its upper end an annular outstanding flange, a circular turntable secured upon said flange and adapted to support a roll of hose as it is being unwound, and an upstanding hoseengaging projection carried by said turntable in the middle thereofiand having at its lower end an annular outstanding. flange which-is fixed to said turntable,.the height of said projection being sueh that theraised 5 convolutions of the hose areretained in overlapping a'nd-engaging relation.

9. Apparatus for supporting and unwinding fire hose including a supporting base having a vertically upstanding shaft, a hub journalled on said shaft having an annular outstanding flange at its upper end, a turntable seated on said flange and adapted to support aroll of hose, and an upstanding and gen- I erally sonically-shaped hose engaging 1nem- Eli ber located on said turntable in the middle thereof and having downwardly and outwardly sloping side walls and an-annul'ar outstanding fiange at its lower end, and bolts passed through both of said flanges and 9'2 through said turntable, whereby to secure said flanges and turntable together.

10. Apparatus for supporting and unwinding rolls of fire hose that are tightly wound upon one end thereof including aro- 7' tata'ble turntable for supporting thereonaroll oi hose, vand having means which partially enters the roll of hose and supports it against lateral displacement and which also elevates the innermost portion of the roll partially above the upper surface thereof.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

'VVILLIAM H. TOBIN.

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